Brady Statement on Chabad of Poway Shooting on Final Day of Passover

Washington, D.C., April 27, 2019 - Six months to the day that 11 people were shot and killed with another six injured at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA, 4 people - including 1 child - were shot and one person was killed at a San Diego-area Chabad during a celebration for the last day of Passover. Just as they did six months earlier, Brady asked where we are safe from gun violence in our country and expressed outrage at yet another mass shooting in America.

Brady president Kris Brown stated,

“The ending of Passover — one of the most sacred and important holidays in the Jewish religion — is a time for celebration, not mourning. But once again, the Jewish community has been targeted for its faith and left shattered. We join in mourning with the Chabad of Poway community today, and we must look towards solutions to prevent these tragedies in the future. The shooter reportedly used an AR-style assault weapon in possible defiance of California law, and it is crucial for law enforcement to determine how he obtained his weapon. This is further proof that weapons of war have no business in our places of peace.

“We stand today with the Jewish people in Poway and around the world, as we reject this hatred and move towards the day when we can all practice our faiths in peace. Zikhronah livrakha — may her memory be for a blessing.”

According to Poway Mayor Steve Vaus and San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore, one woman was shot and killed and three others were injured when a shooter entered Chabad of Poway and opened fire. Among those shot was the Chabad’s rabbi, who reportedly attempted to calm both the gunman and members of the congregation. Mayor Vaus called the shooting a hate crime, denouncing the shooter as "someone with hate in their heart... towards our Jewish community and that just will not stand." The suspect surrendered himself to police custody following the shooting.

The 19-year-old suspected shooter reportedly used an AR-style assault weapon, which was found by authorities in the front seat of his car. While there is no minimum age for possession of rifles or shotguns in California, the state does have an assault weapon ban that prohibits possession of these types of weapons unless the weapon was already possessed at the time of banning and has been registered with California DOJ. In January 2019, the state began prohibiting the sale or transfer of any firearm to a person under 21 years old.

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Brady has one powerful mission — to unite all Americans against gun violence. We work across Congress, the courts, and our communities with over 90 grassroots chapters, bringing together young and old, red and blue, and every shade of color to find common ground in the common sense. In the spirit of our founders Jim and Sarah Brady, we have fought for over 25 years to take action, not sides, and we will not stop until this epidemic ends. It’s in our hands.